A Screaming Baby
by Mortisha Bloodfang
Summary: Sarah's found a happiness she thought would never end, but the birth of her child changed all that. Jareth/Sarah obviously, was a one shot and have decided to continue.
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything of course and get no $$ just enjoyment.**

**Authors Note: At the moment this is a one shot, might make an actual story out of it might just do a different one, but unsure at the moment due to how I wrote this one. I just had to get this off of my chest it's been on my mind for a while now. I have other ideas for Labyrinth stories but those are on hold since I have two ongoing AVP stories that I'm finishing. **

**Enjoy and feel free to leave comments on how I did. No flames please, just constructive criticism and also realize that it's a one shot at the moment if not forever. All depends on how I feel and interest I guess.**

-_A Screaming Baby_-

Sarah wasn't sure how she ended up in this position, more really how she hadn't seen it coming. At the prime of her life of only twenty five years old she was holding a screaming baby cooing and rocking softly trying to make the cries stop. The babe was a beautiful blond haired and surprisingly mismatched eyed boy who looked all too much like a man from her past. His odd appearance looking nothing like neither her nor his father is what made her life miserable, but she took it.

All for him, her beautiful baby boy.

At the age of twenty three she had married a handsome man with a good job that had spent the past two years wooing her and she fell in love, looking back she wasn't sure if he ever was in love with her.

Their life seemed to perfect, she worked at the local high school teaching English her stories and imagination seeming to get all the kids interested so much so that not a single one skipped her class or was absent. Some even came to school while terribly sick in order to attend her class, she'd have to practically beg them to go home and rest.

Her husband, Ron, was a well-respected member of the community but his construction management jobs tended to have him gone for long periods, and she often found herself terribly lonely. Her Underground friends kept her good company, but when he was gone she missed him in ways they couldn't satisfy her, but she was faithful and loved him too dearly to cheat just to satisfy a fleeting need.

They were young, but when she broke the news she was pregnant with the baby they'd both always talked about things started to take a turn. During her pregnancy all continued in the marital bliss from before, but as the due date approached he seemed to withdraw more into his work. She wasn't sure why, but when she asked he just shook his head and gave her reassurances that it was nothing.

Finally, the day came when she felt it, her water breaking she had practiced the procedure for the day several times in her head and out and as the pain started to increase surprisingly fast she found herself unable to make it out of her bedroom let alone to a phone. As quick as she could she took off her maternity pants and underwear trying to ignore the rush of pain and the urge to start pushing. She was even starting to panic at how quickly it was happening, the classes and doctors never said anything about it and she stared at the phone on the far end of the room desperately.

She lay down on the bed and let out a slight scream as the pain increased, she felt helpless and the fear was building with her panic as she tried to stay calm and remember her lessons. Desperately she looked at the mirror and screamed for her friends. In no time they appeared first happy to see her than realizing the situation they too started to panic, surprisingly Hoggle grabbed her hand and pleaded for her to remain as calm as possible and to allow him to get Jareth.

Her mind wasn't rational, tears streamed down her face as the pain intensified and she gave into the urges to push, her friends words falling on almost deaf ears as she nodded and he disappeared but the rest remained.

Jareth appeared what felt like hours later, but in reality was most likely just a few minutes with numerous goblin attendants who she realized after the fact were midwives. She was terrified, the pain was too much and even her screams couldn't take her mind off of it as the midwives leaped into action with helping her breath and deliver. She felt a hand gripping hers, a damp cloth touching her forehead and soothing words in her ears as she delivered the pain unending, but somehow she felt better that it was easier, safer.

The next few hours she spent pushing were filled with love and attention from the man next to her she vaguely recognized in her pain filled mind as Jareth. She felt so tired, so weak, and for the briefest of moments she knew the look of defeat had entered her face and she turned head to look at him. His eyes full of concern.

She told him, how tired she was, how weak, and at last how sorry she was. She had even told him she felt the pain was punishment for what she caused him. He stared at her for what felt like an eternity as she rambled on crying and at times screaming in pain, her mind losing rational thought as the pain increased and the baby didn't seem to want to leave. A midwife shook him from his stupor as she spoke to him fast, quiet words she couldn't pick up but the looks on their faces were grave and his was almost panicked.

In that moment, she felt a calm acceptance come over her and grabbed his hand again roughly to get his attention, his gaze immediately falling back onto her. She knew what needed to be done; she could feel herself at a crossroads. The birthing was not going well, she knew she and the baby could die but she didn't want that. In the corner of her eyes, the pile of bloody rags and towels caught her attention and her resolve was clear.

"Save the baby."

It hadn't been a plea, it was a command and she never stopped repeating it to him each time going closer to begging as she felt her strength being sapped away. Her hand like a death grip on his, finally he nodded and told the waiting midwife next to him his answer. The next few hours went by aching slow and every pain filled moment was filled with the resolution that she'd birth the baby and die herself if need be, but it was going to live.

Finally, after what seemed an eternity one last push revealed a screaming baby and happy, relieved faces. She was so weak, but as she and the baby were cleaned up and it was wrapped up she found herself smiling softly but with overwhelming happiness at the small bundle now in Jareths arms. He seemed shocked at first, but quickly began to coo and sing to the babe before gently depositing it into her waiting arms.

The beautiful face of her baby boy who surprisingly had his eyes open stared at her with mismatched eyes and blonde hair of the man standing next to her who was watching in shock but his eyes full of love. The midwives and her friends all gathered around cooing and smiling at the babe and his mother, their joy as much as their kings at the similarities.

Slowly, her friends filtered out to give her privacy and the goblins too all until only Jareth was there. She felt her eyes starting to droop closed and she fought the urge, but Jareth gently admonished her and took the baby putting him gently in his crib before returning to her side.

"Sleep, Precious." He had whispered lovingly to her and quietly sang her and the babe who looked just like him to sleep before disappearing.

When she had awoke she had found the cellphone next to her and called her friend and told her what had happened, minus her friends and Jareth, but she gave her friend a convincing story and was driven to the hospital for both her and her baby to be checked out. When asking for the name of her new bundle of joy she felt that all the names she'd picked out for her surprise seemed inadequate. Smiling she told them the babes name, finding it fitting.

Aedan Carney Williams.

When Ron had returned home a few days later, she had hoped for sooner after she had called him telling him of little Aedans birth, he seemed ecstatic. Eagerly he gazed at the sleeping baby in fatherly adoration and quietly asked her why she named him how she did. Smiling softly she answered fondly closing her favorite book, The Labyrinth.

Aedan old Gaelic for "fire" or "born of fire" and he was firey, and Carney another from old Gaelic derived from a word meaning "victorious" or "victorious champion." She told him it was fitting, and she wanted him to have a strong name. Slowly he turned around and frowned at her, he clarified that he hadn't meant his other names, but his last name. She had shot him a confused look from her rocking chair at the hurt and slightly angry look in his eyes. Standing up and putting the book down she walked to him explaining her confusion. They had agreed long ago that their first born would carry her last name so that the family name could live whether Toby had kids or not when he was older. He had agreed heartily than, but now he seemed affronted.

Gently she put her hand on his shoulder to get him to look at her, but he didn't. After a few moments of silence she asked him for forgiveness not really knowing why, but wanting him to not be angry anymore so he could enjoy his family.

As if by fate, Aedan opened his eyes and started to stare at his father, and Sarah smiled knowing that if she couldn't than her baby could bring Ron around. That wasn't the case however, as soon as he saw the eyes of his newborn son he turned around quickly, shocking her with his rage filled eyes.

She never saw the hand coming as he slapped her so hard she fell to the ground in front of the full length mirror, turning to look at him holding her aching face she started to feel fear but mostly she was confused. Getting up she soon found that before she could speak he backhanded her making her fall into the mirror, she cried out as the glass broke cutting into her flesh all over her body. Crying from confusion and the pain she found herself thrown across the room by her hair into her rocking chair that surprisingly didn't break and fell back into the wall. He came at her again and smacked her knocking her down to the floor again she felt the glass digging deeper into her skin, the pain, the confusion, and hurt shown on her face as she cried and tried to get away from him under the bed out of his reach.

He made to grab her again, but a rush of adrenaline and fear made her able to escape him under their California King as she curled into the fetal position to avoid his grabbing hands. The screaming from her baby registering as Ron disappeared from view and she was afraid he'd go for him next as his booted feet went closer to the crib. She screamed in fear, her mother's instincts reacting and she quickly was out from under the bed grabbing him keeping him away from Aedan.

The sneer on his face was enough to tell her that she'd played into his hands as he smacked her onto the bed cursing and screaming at her. He called her a cheat, a whore, so many things that her mind couldn't catalogue them all as she cried and tried to make him see reason that she had been faithful. He spat at her calling her worthless, and as his tirade continued it seemed that a mad glint shone in his eye ever more.

Just when she thought he'd worn himself out and would leave he started to tear at her clothes saying that if she acted like a whore he'd treat her like one. She had screamed, clawed, and begged him to stop, that she had just given birth that he would hurt her and most of all that she had been nothing but faithful, she was met by cruel laughter as he continued.

Soon, she found herself laying on the bed, tears still sliding down her face as her once loving husband put back on his clothes and left with the final insult flying over his shoulder that he was leaving her, for the very same friend who had driven her to the hospital.

She felt so broken, used, and the blood loss was messing with her vision and making her feel fatigued, she knew that if she didn't die from her wounds and blood loss than she'd die from the infection he caused when he forced her. Aedans cries gave her strength to crawl to his crib and manage to stand up and hold him against her cooing and singing softly to him.

Sarah felt helpless and so utterly broken as she gazed down at her baby boy, thinking about what had just transpired made her cry even harder blood and tears falling onto his face which she promptly wiped away with a shaking weak hand.

"I love you Aedan, never forget mommy loves you." She knew what she had to do, before it was too late. "I wish the Goblin King would come and take you away right now, to live with him as if he were your daddy."

Her words were quiet; nothing above a whisper, but it was enough. The sound of goblins at first giggling until they saw what they had been summoned to, and Jareth, who flew in from the window as before so long ago first had a sneer but it quickly fell away.

She knew she must look frightful, cooing to a crying baby covered in glass, crying, battered, bruised, and sitting on the floor against a wall in a growing pool of her blood that was everywhere.

"Sarah." He began, but found himself unable to finish his sentence. The room was filled with broken glass, blood was everywhere, and the stench of sex filled the air causing his stomach to lurch as his gaze slowly fell onto the crying woman and her babe. Mirrored glass in her flesh told him what had befell the mirror, and the blood coming from between her legs explained far more than he wanted to know, he was torn between crying and murderous rage towards the one who did it.

She looked so broken and weak. Defeated, and it killed him.

Her eyes and flesh were slowly losing their color and shine of life as she stared at him silent pleading that he respects her possible last wish.

However, the Goblin King was a selfish man and he summoned up a crystal ball turning it this way and that in his hands as he approached her and crouched before her.

"Say your right words, Sarah. You'll forget about the baby, but die alone. You can come with me and be the mother to your baby." He paused as her dulling eyes lit up at the possibility of raising her son and he continued holding the crystal in front of her as he gave her the choices.

"Just love me, fear me, do as I say and I will be your slave."

Sarah smiled at hearing his words again, and they looked down at her now quiet baby who was reaching out towards the man in front of her giggling happily she felt her decision was almost made for her. She felt her right words come to her as their eyes met.

"I do."

The Goblin King smiled brightly at her, and thrust his crystal ball at her removing the glass and fixing her wounds in an instant, the strain barely showing on his face as he picked her up gingerly smiling at her and the now sleeping babe.

Goblins cheered and in a moment, they disappeared leaving no trace of their presence except a cold smiling figure where she once was.


	2. Chapter 2

_**Authors Note:**_

**I'm pleasantly surprised by the reaction this story got, as I mentioned before it was originally intended to be a one shot. After receiving several requests to continue I had started to think of how I would continue or if I would, and I was about to just leave it as a one shot until some rather strong reviews from two in particular so far who know who they are. However, I wanted to acknowledge them ****so thank you to:**

**Kagomepureheart **

**helikesitheymikey**

**You both were the pushing point for me to get off my butt and continue it I just couldn't say no after your reviews. So, after reviewing the last story and the direction I had started to think about taking it I have chosen and Kagomepureheart you might want to take out some more tissues this chapters going to be a tearjerker. **

_**Disclaimer**_**: I own nothing however I do enjoy using the characters and thank the creators heartily.**

-_Questions_-

Every day she devoted herself to her son, she stayed by him refusing to stray too far from his side, even almost six months that night haunted her. It was the single most beautiful and horrific day in her life, and when she went to bed at night she woke up screaming at the phantom in her mind.

He would come, hold her mindful of his proximity unsure if it would set on another wave of tears in her frightened irrational mind. He was patient, he was kind, and he held her and was never far from her but never straying too close. He took her mood swings, her mistrust, and harsh stinging words as if she had never done or said a word. He was generous, so much so that as the weeks went by she found herself trusting him more, and allowing him to touch.

Sarah sat in the quiet as her almost one year old son slept in an adjoining room, without the distraction of noisy goblins, her beautiful son, the man who was so generous, or anything else to cloud her mind she found herself haunted by the questions that never left.

Did she deserve it? What had she done wrong?

She went through every memory to see what she had done to make him so angry with her, to hurt her in so many ways. Was it because she forgot to make dinner some nights? Or when she didn't want him to go out with the boys one night? Maybe it was because she loved fantasy so much, she remembered how much he'd disliked that and had commented at how childish she was. She went through all her memories finding faults everywhere and tears started to fall down her cheeks unbidden as she felt an overwhelming sense of worthlessness.

It was all her fault; she had caused him to stray. She wasn't attentive enough, she failed somewhere, and if she could just find where she'd made her fatal mistake than she could fix it. Fix _her_. It surely had to be her fault, if she had just been better somehow he would've loved her more, never been forced to hurt her as he had.

Her sobs grew louder as they wracked her body; she tried to keep quiet as her sadness overtook her. It was all her fault, she couldn't do anything right.

She remembered now, he had said so himself so many nights when she humiliated him at a party, in front of his friends, or with his family. She hadn't been smart enough, hadn't been interesting enough, she should've branched out more like he said so many times. She shouldn't have spoken about things she didn't know anything about, especially if she couldn't name her source. Her faults were becoming more and more apparent to her, she was worthless.

Curling in on herself she felt as if the world was coming down on her she found herself wanting to scream, but unable to not wanting to burden Jareth. She was already living off him she didn't want him to see how worthless she was, but she couldn't find it in herself to blame him if he threw her out or hit her. She would've deserved it, no she _does_ deserve it.

In her despair she almost didn't register the arms that wrapped around her pressing her gently, but securely to a firm body. Soothing hushes and whispers filled her ears as her sobs slowly lessened, gentle hands wiped away her tears as if dispelling her every doubt. She found her mouth moving on its own accord as if speaking would help relieve her aching heart.

"Why? What did I do that was so terrible? I tried so hard, I tried so hard to make him happy. What did I do wrong?"

Her questions kept flowing unerring until she started to feel the hate, the loathing.

"Why couldn't I be better, perfect? I'm so worthless and pathetic; no wonder he didn't love me."

All the while those arms were quiet, but they held her firmly in their comforting embrace as she let it out, all the months of silence and mild manners gone as she crumbled in on herself. She tried to ignore the pain, to pretend she was alright when she wasn't. The questions were eating her alive.

Finally, the words stopped, the sobs quiet and slowly dissipating as the warm body rocked her on a soft bed she hadn't realized she'd been moved to. Silence fell between them and she felt better, if only slightly so all because of those arms. They were unwavering in their support, the voice did not stutter in its words of adoration and love, and those eyes she could feel on her even now without looking she knew they shone unending kindness. She felt she didn't deserve it, she felt so wrong for receiving such attentions but found herself unable to turn them away selfishly reveling in it.

His voice was soft, filled with tenderness as he spoke to her bringing her closer. "You did nothing wrong, some men are fools who don't realize what a precious thing they have."

A kiss fell atop her head and she found herself unable to cry, desperately wanting to hear his words to feel worth something again.

"How you turn my world, you precious thing."

Silence fell once again, as they both stayed there. He cradled her against him as he rocked her filling her ears with words of love and affection.

"Why?" Sarah found her voice again.

"Why what, my Sarah?" He responded quietly.

"Why did you save me, why were you so willing to take Aedan?"

"Oh Sarah, you precious thing, you forget that Kings are selfish creatures and I'm even more so." He kissed her forehead and smiled gently at her upturned face as she gazed at him questioningly. "You wished I take him as my own, I did, but you also agreed to your dreams allowing me to keep you both."

She was quiet at his answer, not having the energy to question him about the past and what she could've done to instill such devotion from him. As if sensing her questions she felt him chuckle good naturedly running a hand through her hair relaxing her further into his embrace as he laid them down on her bed. The action didn't frighten her; she found that the only thing she felt was calm content to just lay there soaking up his adoration.

"I know you may not believe me, but I was not merely answering a wish. You both were mine from the beginning." Despite everything she found herself laughing softly at his arrogance finding it endearing in a way.

She felt his lips on her forehead in a kiss and smiled feeling as if she could make it through the darkness trying to eat her away.

"You're not worthless and far from pathetic, precious thing. You're worth more than the most sought after stones, shine more brightly than the sun, guide lost souls such as mine through rough seas better than any star. Your figure leaves even Aphrodite envious, your words are sweeter than honey, and your eyes are greener than any forest. Your hair flows like ocean, strands softer than silk, your hands turn all you touch into gold, your skin flawless leaving ivory and marble to shame with their false perfections, your heart knows no evil, and your soul remains the most beautiful of all in Aboveground and below. Your very presence instills instant love and devotion in even the most wretched of hearts. You Sarah are all these things and more, and I will show you even if it takes me till the end of time."

Her mind fell quiet, unable to comprehend his logic, arguments came to mind to challenge him to prove him he was false but none fell from her lips. She knew he could sense her doubts, but said nothing only held her more silently telling her with his body how much he cherished her. Selfishly she soaked it up, as much as she felt she didn't deserve it, but here in his arms she felt that maybe just maybe she was worth it.


	3. Chapter 3

**Authors note: Hello dear readers! Life is condusive to writing again and I've begun to update all my stories that I've been working on in whatever free time I've had while life was hectic. This one actually had most of the work already done for me; it just needed some fine tuning. Another chapter will be up soon and please review and let me know how you like it.**

-_Just a Kiss _-

The days flowed into weeks which turned into months in their new home. Most of the time she secluded herself in her rooms with her little Aedan; afraid that the demon of her past would appear and steal him away and silently cherishing her small piece of happiness that she got from being near her baby boy.

As she sat on the balcony as her precious one slept marveling at the stars, she felt the ever present weight of the stare of the man she knew was always watching and it comforted her. He watched her from afar, coming almost every few hours to play, feed if she hadn't yet, and sing to the babe who looked so much like him. He never asked why, he accepted him as his own without question. She felt overjoyed for that, she found herself still fearful that he would look at the little baby and turn on her as Ron had.

Slowly she felt herself returning, no longer the husk of a woman she had first been afraid of the blow that would never come, the anger filled eyes that would prelude to harm. His presence caused comfort and security to flow through her, the weight of his gaze causing her to relax and smile softly to herself.

"Jareth." She whispered his name almost lovingly knowing he would hear, and hoping her ever increasing hope that he would join her.

To her disappointment he did not, but his gaze did not falter, she knew he was waiting for her. She thought she was ready, and wondered if there was a way to show him. Thinking over her time with him, and his behavior with Aedan she closed her eyes capturing the proud air and happiness that filled him as he sang his voodoo song with jumping goblins in the throne room. Her spying through the cracked door not wanting to interrupt the scene, and the large smile on Aedan's face as he giggled; face a bright beacon of happiness.

He seemed to be winning her over again through her child, whenever they were in the same room together he seemed to go out of his way to tell her where he was at all times and if he ever took Aedan from her sight where they would be. In the mornings he would bring her breakfast of her favorites and a peach a remembrance of the past, how generous he could be. He would even sit close by going about his business or sitting quietly whenever she was in the gardens.

He stayed so close, but was so far.

Almost another year in her new home, and he had been ever patient with her. If he was angry he didn't show it, he never yelled near her, and never looked at her with disgust as _he_ had. Looking down at her night clothes she almost grimaced, it was a long nightgown that covered all and barely showed any skin. She held no scars from that night, but in her mind she could see every place the glass had cut every mark that had been placed upon her.

She wanted it to go away, she wanted to feel like herself again to be so brave and unafraid of the world. Even after all the time in the Labyrinth she was still found herself afraid. She just wanted it to go away, to be able to venture towards the kind man who even now so late in the night sat upon his throne causing all to cower before him.

He _was_ frightening.

Maybe just a kiss, a kiss goodnight.

She bit her lip in trepidation, a kiss.

Throwing on a robe over the night gown she walked quietly into the throne room, Jareth's eyes immediately falling onto her. The goblins still ran about this way and that, chasing chickens, and giggling at silly antics. She remained stalwart though, she had to and with every step closer to the throne she felt both frightened and empowered.

This was foolish, who was she to be so presumptuous? To approach the King as if it was her right? To approach him now after he did not approach her before?

Her mind was unable to answer or to encourage flight as she finally came to stand in front of said King. She stared at him for a moment, than two; quickly the seconds seemed to add up as she wondered how she'd ever do this. He looked curious and, dare she say it, hopeful.

All too soon she felt her confidence beginning to shatter; quickly she leaned forward and pressed a kiss to his lips. The briefest of touches, quickest of contact, before pulling back looking shaken and unsure.

"Good night." It was a whisper, but heard none the less.

Leaving the throne room she felt, for the first time in a long time, like the victorious champion she used to be.


End file.
